Austin Keil takes top rugby player of the year award

From L-R: Austin Keil, player of the year; Brothers Victor Amparo and Kenrick Thomas were awarded the Under-19 player of the year and most improved player, respectively.Photo Credit: Gordon French/BVI Platinum News

Three of the top annual rugby awards presented by the BVI Rugby Football Union went to youth players led by Austin Keil who captured the player of the year, the most prestigious presented at the annual dinner which was held at Scrub Island last evening, June 27.

Keil, 18, of Cedar School, has had a break out season and scored the final try for the national team against Curacao in May.

“It feels pretty good and its just really nice to be here with all my friends who also won awards. And its really fun. Everyone on the team has been working really hard and it shows in the results at the end of the year,” Keil told BVI Platinum News.

He plans to attend university in California in the fall where he will try out froSanta Barbra rugby team.

Brothers Victor Amparo and Kenrick Thomas were awarded the Under-19 player of the year and most improved player, respectively.

“It feels pretty good to have won this award,” Amparo stated.

He recalled the under-19 team’s encounter in Trinidad and Tobago and his experience gained playing for the national side.

Thomas said he recently started playing rugby and never missed a practice session.

“My fitness is really advanced thanks to rugby. The discipline I have learned has really helped me. I am around all the players with different cultures and different experiences; this has been a great learning experience for me,” Thomas stated.

Chairman of the Rugby Union, Ronan Kuczaj said rugby on the island has benefited from the emergence of younger players.

“All of our results have come form the under-19s. They had good performance in the Mexico 7s and more recently the three games in the 2015 North American Caribbean Rugby Association’s 15s. We have a good core of kids who have come through the under-19 program and school coaching sessions. They are the future and lifeblood of rugby in the BVI,” Kuczaj stated.